Re: Whitewater Hearings Cc: Lloyd Cutler Da: . July 19, 1994 Summary Memorandum Let me tell you where we are from a communicatio'ns perspective the Whitewater hearings. Products and Activities 1. Jeff Eller's operation put together a media binder for the press in the districts. of every Republican Banking Committee }1e.mber. They worked hard on this; it will be helpful during the hearings. 2. The DNC and a contract employee have amassed a binder. of Whitewatef briefing materials which are being sent to . the House through Barney. Sosnick will circulate in Senate. 3. The DNC and a contract employee have amassed bio of Committee Members with ..eill'lilar of "agency contacts" in their 4. At my the DNC has produced a video tape of Republican speeches from the hearings to show.Members it means to be on message in support of the Administration. 5. Ann Lewis and the DNC are putting togethei a "viewSr's guide" to the hearings for distribution to the press. 6. -Todd Stern is on background for outside the scope of.hearings which might nonetheless be raised by Republicans during the hearings. 7. I have Barryey Frank to appear before the Sperling Breakfast on Friday. 8 b . 9. We are asking Lloyd Cutler to do -a Snnd.s.y Show this. weekend Face .the Nation). 11. We will spin the weekend shows beginning Thursday. w{W 1./( .1 i . .. ' I ,. i i I ,. ! I f. \ .Memorandum to Leon Panetta July 19, 19.94 Page Two Talkers . . . . .. . . : . - . ' . . I' I convened a group of poobahs and pundlts\with whom we meet one a 1tJeek _ communications and get some help on t.he street. again Thursday morning; it would be great for you ih (Roosevelt Room). The c6nsists of Ann Lewis, Leslie Dach, Mike Berman,_ Bob Shrum, Jody Powell, Jerry Ray, Frank Greer, Paui and - Problems F6r three reasons, we not as ready as we ought to be the hearings. the Democrats on the and Senate Banking Committees aren't relating to us the way the Republicans on the Committees dealt with the Reagan Administration. Second, the delay in receiving the third-leg of Fiske's report on. the handling -of Foster's papers has Third, the mere assembly.of our reqounting.of this episode has been a painstaking process -- especially with so many duplicative investigations going on. - Consequently, it is hard to see how this story will unfold in the respective committees bey6nd the In Iran-Contra, the Republicans .,had a mantra (This is politics. This is a diversion from the issues of day. Let the Special Counsel-do his work. _This is not a_criminalinquiry. The Democrats did not take the Sandinistas seriously) which they repeated over and over. We have not really a to the Committee yet. The Republican storyline is fairly This is a cover-up. They will use whatever. devices they can to move beyond the scope and ask questions about the Arkansas phase of- the . invest1gation. They want Riegel and Gonzalez to gavel them down._ They have already leaked details about the confidential handling of our .. documents, and are on record as opposing the limits placed on the hearings. Leach may invbke Rule XI of the House Rules to get a separate day of hearings on Arkansas-related issues. 2 COPY ------------------- '. ' I . . . .. Memorandum to Leon Panetta July .19, 1994 Page Three 2. This is about the character (and First . Lady's). The constellation of issues known as Whitewater -- abuses of power, the.bonflicts of interest, the insider's access,. the-obstruction of justice-- about than criminal wrongdoing, as that ia. .These issues to the larger flaws in the. President's which rendei him unfit for He stop at nothing to block exposure of-these flaws even if it means gaming (himself or his cronies) the regulatory 'or law enforceme'nt process to do.so. am fearful that our problems with the Senate and relyirig solely on Barney, we will not get to the point where we have a message strategy for either Chamber. And, as John said, the . witnesses will have to fare for themselves. This is a problem, because it effects how the Administration is viewed by.the press and the public watching the hearings. Miscellaneous 1. Foster. We have a slight disagreement on.emphasis over th.e Vince Foster matters. I have expressed at every meeting my own view that the Republican handling of the Virice Foster sUicide is our highest-moral ground. The right wing should be engaged on this This 'is the one the press with us. It is also one of our against the Religious Right. 4. Office of Public Liaison. I -asked OPL for help in pulling together a contact strategy for supporters in Republican Banking Congressional Districts to issue a "get back to business" strategy. OPL is not sure it can service Whitewater and Health care at the same time. *** 3 COPY
SENATE HEARING, 111TH CONGRESS - NOMINATION OF ROBERT S. LITT TO BE GENERAL COUNSEL, OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND NOMINATION OF STEPHEN W. PRESTON TO BE GENERAL COUNSEL, CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY